HISTORICAL  ADDRESS 

Delivered  on  the  Occasion 

OF  THE 

Ceiitennial  *  of  *  Buffalo  ♦  Church, 

AUGUST  12,  1897, 

Ri  Buffalo  Church,  JVtoore  County,  ]\[.  C, 

BY  THE 

REY.  WILLIAM  S.  LACY,  D.  D., 

Pas  for  of  the  Second   Presbyteriaii    Church,    Norfolk,  Va., 

AND 

Pastor  of  Buffalo  Church  from  i8yj  to  1888. 


COLE  STEAM  PRINTING  CO..  SAN  FORD,  N.  C. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/historicaladdresOOIacy 


Before  the  Pilgrims  set  foot  on  Plymouth  Rock,  December 
21st,  1620,  or  John  Smith  landed  at  Jamestown,  May  13th. 
1607,  the  first  Presbyterians  who  settled  in  North  America 
were  French  Huguenots  who  sought  these  shores  under  the 
auspices  of  Admiral  Coligny,  and  who  went  to  the  Carolinas 
and  to  Florida.*  According  to  Rev.  Dr.  C.  A.  Briggs,  in  his 
essay  on  Earliest  American  Presbyterianism,  Rev.  Francis 
Doughty,  an  English  Presbyterian  minister,  preached  to  a 
congregation  in  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  in  1642,  and  he  states 
that  he  subsequently  labored  in  eastern  Virginia  and  Mary- 
land.f  In  1682,  Rev.  Francis  Makemie  was  licensed  and 
ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Laggan  in  the  north  of  Ireland 
to  preach  as  a  missionary  in  North  America,  {  and  from  1683 
to  1716  he  labored  in  Maryland  and  eastern  Virginia. 

According  to  the  historian,  Bancroft,  there  was  no  stationed 
preacher  of  any  persuasion  in  North  Carolina  anterior  to 
1705. §  Dr.  Foote  in  his  charming  volumes  tells  us  that  the 
Rev.  William  Robinson  was  sent  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
Castle  to  preach  as  a  missionary  in  North  Carolina  in  the 
winter  of  1742-1743. ||  The  success  of  this  eminent  and  saintly 
minister  while  in  Virginia  was  marked,  but  we  hear  but  lit- 
tle of  what  he  accomplished  in  North  Carolina.  Others  also 
were  appointed  to  visit  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  but  not 
until  the  visit  of  the  Rev.  Hugh  McAden  in  1755  do  we  note 
any  report  worthy  of  attention.  In  this  year,  and  in  suc- 
ceeding years,  Mr.  McAden  traversed  the  greater  part  of 

*  Hays'  Presbyterians,  p.  479. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  479. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  67. 

\  Bancroft's  History  of  the  United  States,  Vol.  2,  p.  164.  Quoted  by  the  Rev.  Neill 
McKay  in  Centenary  Sermon  delivered  at  Bluff  Church  1858,  p.  7. 

||  Foote's  Sketches  of  Virginia,  Vol.  1,  p.  126.  Also  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Caro- 
lina, p.  158. 


North  Carolina,  preaching  at  meeting-houses,  residences  and 
settlements,  where  he  found  Presbyterians — thus  indicating 
that  others  had  preceded  him.*  The  one  whose  labors 
resulted  in  the  gathering  of  many  congregations,  especially 
west  of  the  Yadkin,  was  probably  "the  pioneer  minister  and 
apostle  of  western  North  Carolina,  Rev.  John  Thompson. "f 
Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  B.  Sprague  in  his  laborious  and  invaluable 
annals  tells  us:  "He  visited  North  Carolina  in  1744  and 
again  in  1751."  During  this  latter  visit  he  met  with  Henry 
Patillo,  afterwards  one  of  the  most  distinguished  and  useful 
ministers  in  North  Carolina,  who  by  him  was  led  to  enter  the 
gospel  ministry.  Mr.  Thompson  died  in  1753  at  Buffalo,  in 
Prince  Edward  county,  Virginia,  and  Dr.  Archibald  Alexan- 
der states  that  "he  lies  in  the  Buffalo  graveyard  without  a 
stone.  "J 

The  first  settled  Presbyterian  minister  in  North  Carolina  to 
whom  the  first  formal  call  as  pastor  was  given  was  the  Rev. 
James  Campbell.  This  call  is  recorded  in  the  court  records 
of  Cumberland  county. §  Among  the  twelve  signers  is  the 
name  of  Archibald  McKay, ||  grandfather  of  Rev.  Dr.  Neill 
McKay,  so  long  the  honored  pastor  of  this  church.  Mr. 
Campbell  settled  in  1757  on  Cape  Fear  river,  opposite  Bluff 
Church.  Pie  preached  at  Hector  McNeill's,  on  Cape  Fear 
(now  Bluff  Church),  at  Gilbert  Clark's,  on  Barbecue  creek 
(now  Barbecue  Church),  and  at  Archibald  McKay's,  on  the 
Long  Street  (now  Long  Street  Church).  His  laborious,  dis- 
couraged, yet  eminently  useful  life  closed  in  1787.**  For 
three  years  he  had  associated  with  him  Rev.  John  McLeod, 
who  came  with  large  bodies  of  Highlanders  in  1770,  settling- 
en  the  Upper  and  Lower  Little  rivers  in  Cumberland  county. 
This  minister,  returning  to  Scotland  in  1773,  found  it  is  sup- 
posed a  watery  grave,  as  he  was  never  heard  of  after 
leaving  America. ft 

It  is  probable  that  during  this  pastorate  the  attractive  set- 


*  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Carolina,  p.  158. 

t  North  Carolina  Presbyterian,  Vol.  1,  No.  39.  Quoted  by  Rev.  Neill  McKay  in 
Centenary  Address  delivered  at  Bluff  Church  1858,  p.  8. 

X  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit,  Vol.  3,  p.  22. 

\  Register's  office,  Book  A,  p.  349. 
Centennial  Historical  Address  delivered  before  Fayetteville  Presbytery  at  Bluff 
Church,  October,  1858,  by  James  Banks,  Esq  ,  p.  13. 

**  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Carolina,  pp.  132,  et  seqr. 

ft  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Carolina,  p.  135. 


5 


tlements  on  Deep  river  and  Buffalo  creek  were  reached  by 
the  Presbyterian  missionary.  The  people  represented  in 
these  congregations  ministered  to  by  Mr.  Campbell  were  peo- 
ple of  substance,  broad  intelligence,  abounding  hospitality 
and  generous  living — fond  of  the  pleasures  of  the  table  and 
of  debate,  with  the  Scotch  love  of  whiskey  and  dancing.  The 
celebrated  Flora  McDonald  resided  during  a  part  of  this 
time  at  Cameron  Hill,  and  worshipped  at  old  Barbecue 
Church.*  The  elders  of  that  church  were  so  diligent,  exact- 
ing and  well -informed,  so  pious  and  devoted  to  their  duties, 
that  they  were  called  "the  little  ministers  of  Barbecue", f 
and  doubtless  in  the  discharge  of  their  parochial  duties  pene- 
trated to  this  region  as  an  outj)Ost  of  that  congregation.  It 
was  of  Barbecue  congregation  that  the  Rev.  John  McLeod 
said  he  "would  rather  preach  to  the  most  polished  and  fash- 
ionable congregation  in  Edinburgh  than  to  the  little  critical 
carls  of  Barbecue."]; 

Eev.  Dr.  McKay,  in  the  Centennial  Sermon  from  which  I 
have  already  generously  quoted,  says  that  the  Rev.  John  An- 
derson was  the  pioneer  missionary  in  Moore  county,  and 
preached  at  Archibald  Clark's,  about  one  mile  north  of  Buf- 
falo Church. §  Mr.  Anderson  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Orange  in  1791,  and  shortly  afterwards  was 
ordained  as  an  evangelist.  He  commenced  his  labors  in  the 
southern  part  of  North  Carolina  and  the  northern  part  of 
South  Carolina;  and  in  this  field  passed  the  first  two  years  of 
bis  ministerial  life.  ||  Whether  or  no  Mr.  Anderson  was  the 
first  minister  who  visited  Moore  county,  it  is  well  authenti- 
cated that  the  first  preaching  was  done  in  a  barn  on  the 
lands  of  Alexander  Clark,  about  half  way  between  the  homes 
of  the  late  Wesley  Mclver  and  the  late  Daniel  B.  Mclver. 
These  are  the  traditions  as  given  to  your  speaker  by  the  old 
people  of  this  congregation  when  I  came  here  in  1873.  But 
there  are  also  other  traditions  and  recollections  that  affirm 
that  "Buffalo  congregation  held  their  first  services  near  what 


*  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Carolina,  p.  155. 
flbid.,  p.  133. 
Ibid.,  p.  133. 

Centenary  Sermon  preached  at  Bluff  Church,  1858,  p  11. 
||  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit,  Vol.  3,  p.  588. 


is  now  Will.  Temple's  spring,  less  than  a  mile  from"  the 
residence  of  Alexander  M.  Wicker.* 

We  reach  now  the  beginning  of  our  chronicles  of  this  his- 
toric church.  It  is  noteworthy  that  this  church  is  the 
farthest  north  of  those  formed  out  of  the  Scotch  settlements 
on  the  Cape  Fear  and  its  tributaries.  Although  the  earliest 
Presbyterian  settlers  in  this  country,  as  has  been  stated,  were 
French  Huguenots,  and  the  next  the  English  Puritans,  the 
largest  and  most  influential  bodies  of  Presbyterian  settlers 
were  the  streams  of  Scotch -Irish  from  the  north  of  Ireland 
who  settled  in  the  heart  of  Pennsylvania  and  overflowed  into 
the  valleys  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  and  the  piedmont 
regions  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  Scotch  who  came  direct 
from  Scotland  and  settled  chiefly  on  the  waters  of  the  Cape 
Fear  in  North  Carolina.  Major  Moore  in  his  history  seems 
to  intimatef  that  these  last  were  all  Highlanders,  expatiated 
because  of  their  devotion  to  Prince  Charles  Edward  of  the 
Stuart  line.  This  is  a  mistake.  For  many  settlements  of 
Scotch  had  been  made  before  the  defeat  of  the  Prince  at  Cul- 
loden,  April  16,  1746,  and  the  removal  to  this  country  of  so 
many  who  followed  his  standard.  Indeed,  before  1729,  when 
the  province  of  Carolina  was  divided,  there  were  Scotch  set- 
tlers, and  emigrants  from  Scotland  as  early  as  1736  found 
here  already  many  Scotch  families — notably  the  Clarks, 
McNeills  and  McKays.  I  Rapidly,  however,  after  the  over- 
throw of  Charles,  the  Highland  emigration  poured  into  North 
Carolina  and  soon  constituted  the  majority  and  dominated 
the  civil  and  religious  interests  of  the  Cape  Fear  region. 

Our  first  chronicles  in  our  session-book  tell  us  that,  "About 
the  first  of  April,  A.  D.  1797,  Eev.  William  D.  Paisley,  a 
licentiate,  began  to  preach  in  a  log  building  where  the  pres- 
ent church  now  stands,  every  third  Sabbath.  On  the  10th  of 
May,  1798,  he  was  ordained  at  said  church."  The  pains- 
taking Stated  Clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of  Orange,  after  exam- 
ining the  records,  states:  "In  1798,  March  8th,  Mr.  Paisley 
was  called  by  the  congregations  of  Buffaloe  ( sic )  and  Union 


*  Letter  of  Rev.  James  M.  Wicker,  based  on  recollections  of  Alexander  A.  Mcintosh, 
t  Moore's  History  of  North  Carolina.  Vol.  1,  p.  61. 
%  Centenary  Sermon  by  Rev.  Neill  McKay,  p.  9. 


7 


and  was  ordained  May  9th,  in  1798.  In  April,  1796,  I  find 
that  the  Presbytery  adjourned  to  meet  at  Buffalo  Church  in 
September,  1796.  It  must  have  been  organized  before  April, 
1796,  but  just  when  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  ascertain."  I 
follow  the  statement  as  given.  It  is  possible  that  the  dis- 
crepancy in  date  of  ordination  is  due  to  careless  copying.  It 
is  also  possible  that  the  "Buffalo  church"  with  which  the 
Presbytery  of  Orange  was  to  meet  in  September,  1796,  was 
Buffalo  in  Guilford,  which,  with  Alamance  Church,  consti- 
tuted at  that  time  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Rev.  David 
Caldwell,  the  patriot  and  scholar,  under  whom  Mr.  Paisley 
studied  for  the  gospel  ministry. 

The  earliest  mention  I  find  in  the  minutes  of  the  Synod  of 
the  Carolinas  is  October  31st,  1799,  when  it  is  stated  that 
William  D.  Paisley  had  charge  of  Union  and  Lower  Buffalo.* 
And  in  the  minutes  of  the  General  Assembly  for  1800f  the 
same  record  is  made.  Mr.  Paisley  gave  up  his  work  in  this 
important  pastorate  January  1st,  1801.  During  his  pastorate 
the  following  were  ordained  elders:  John  Dalrymple,  Sr., 
Malcolm  Gilchrist,  John  Mclver,  Alexander  Clark  and 
Hugh  Cameron. 

The  Eev.  William  D.  Paisley  continued  a  member  of 
Orange  Presbytery  till  his  death.  He  was  the  founder  and 
first  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Greensboro,  N. 
C,  and  labored  there  for  nearly  twenty  years.  A  tablet  in 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  that  centre  of  Presbyterian 
influence  commemorates  his  services  on  which  is  inscribed  : 
"In  memory  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  D.  Paisley,  minister  of  this 
church  from  its  organization,  October  3rd,  1824,  until  April 
5th,  1844.  Died  March  10th,  1857,  aged  87  years.  Job  v :  26. " 
In  September,  1839,  he  again  visited  Buffalo  Church,  where 
his  relative  and  brother-in-law,  Rev.  Samuel  Paisley,  minis- 
tered, and  so  far  as  can  be  learned  this  was  the  only  time, 
certainly  the  last  time,  he  preached  at  Buffalo.  He  was  a 
man  of  positive  ability,  and  frequently  represented  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Orange  in  the  General  Assembly,  and  was  appointed 
by  that  body  to  special  missionary  service  in  connection  with 


*  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Carolina,  p.  301. 
t  Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly,  p.  194. 


8 


such  nnM)  as  Rev.  James  Hall,  D.  D.,  Rev.  James  McGready 
and  Rev.  Colin  Mclver,  and  was  greatly  blessed  in  bis 
labors. 

In  February,  1802,  the  Rev.  John  Gillespie  accepted  the 
invitation  to  preach  at  Buffalo.  During  the  interregnum  it 
is  stated  that  the  church  was  partially  supplied  by  Rev. 
Daniel  Brown,  Rev.  Duncan  Brown,  Rev.  Murdock  Murphy, 
Rev.  Bugh  Shaw,  Rev.  Malcolm  McNair  and  Rev.  M. 
McMillan.  These,  I  take  it,  were  young  men  without  charge, 
recently  licensed  and  invited  to  fill  a  vacancy — some  of  them 
perhaps  t  he  young  Scotchmen  of  whom  Rev.  Dr.  James  Hall, 
the  eminent  patriot  and  divine,  speaks  as  "raised  up  to  sup- 
ply the  need  of  these  Scotch  settlements."  Mr.  Gillespie's 
ministry  was  richly  blessed.  In  1802  the  great  revival  that 
had  swept  over  the  whole  country  was  deeply  felt  through- 
out North  Carolina,  and  Buffalo  Church  shared  in  the  holy 
impulse.  Nine  were  added  at  the  first  communion  in 
August,  1802,  fourteen  at  the  second  communion  in  January, 
1 803,  fifteen  at  the  third  communion  in  September,  1803,  and 
five  in  October  of  the  same  year,  which  was  the  fourth  com- 
munion. When  we  consider  the  sparseness  of  the  population 
an  accession  of  forty-three  in  little  more  than  a  year  marks  a 
great  increase. 

Early  in  1804,  Mr.  Murdock  McMillan,  a  licentiate,  was 
asked  to  preach  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Gillespie  as  his 
assistant,  and  because  he  could  preach  in  the  Gaelic  lan- 
guage as  well  as  in  English;  and  on  the  26th  of  July,  having 
been  duly  called,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of 
Buffalo,  Union  and  Bethesda  Churches.  We  have  no  men- 
tion of  the  date  or  the  occasion  of  Mr.  Gillespie's  retirement. 
In  1830,  Rev.  Mr.  McMillan  was  released  from  the  pastoral 
care  of  Buffalo,  Union  and  Euphronia  Churches  and  dismissed 
to  a  Presbytery  in  Tennessee.  No  mention  is  made  of  when 
Euphronia  was  set  off  as  a  church  and  substituted  for 
Bethesda  in  the  pastoral  relation.  During  Mr.  McMillan's 
pastorate  of  more  than  twenty-five  years,  having,  however,  a 
leave  of  absence  of  over  a  year's  duration  from  November, 
1805,  to  January,  1807,  Daniel  Thompson,  Thomas  Thomp- 
son, William  Buie,  James  Dalrymple  and  Alexander  Mcln- 


9 


tosh  were  elected  and  ordained  elders  in  1804;  in  1810,  Dun- 
can Mclver  (Miller  Duncan)  was  chosen  to  the  same  office 
and  duly  installed;  in  the  summer  of  1815,  Malcolm  McGil- 
vary  and  Duncan  Mclver  (Deep  River  Duncan)  were  made 
elders;  and  in  May,  1821,  the  number  was  increased  by  the 
addition  of  Evander  Mclver  and  John  Mclver.  During  Mr. 
McMillan's  ministry  ninety-one  were  added  to  the  communion 
roll;  the  first  framed  church  building  was  erected  in  1817, 
John  Voncanon  builder,  on  the  present  site;  the  church  at 
Euphronia  was  organized  probably  in  1820  or  1821,  largely  out 
of  Buffalo,  and  the  Presbyterian  cause  was  steadily  advanced. 
Dr.  Foote  describes  Mr.  McMillan  as  fortiter  in  re*  and 
tradition  represents  him  as  a  typical  Scotchman,  stern, 
strong,  staunch,  and  withal  a  popular  preacher,  sound  and 
instructive.  He  was  repeatedly  honored  by  his  Presbytery 
with  a  seat  in  the  General  Assembly.  He  was  greatly 
blessed  in  his  abundant  labors,  greatly  useful  and  greatly 
beloved  by  his  people,  and  left  from  no  dissatisfaction  on 
their  part,  but  because  of  personal  reasons,  desiring  to  go 
West. 

Following  Mr.  McMillan  was  Rev.  Angus  McCallum,  a 
man  of  gentle  nature,  sensitive  and  shrinking  in  disposition, 
somewhat  spare  and  delicate- looking.  He  had  a  sweet  tenor 
voice  and  his  singing  is  perhaps  still  remembered  by  some 
of  the  oldest  of  you.  He  preached  first  a  year  as  licentiate, 
and  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  three  churches 
in  December,  1831.  A  blank  in  the  chronicles  of  the  session 
from  this  date  until  1838  leaves  me  without  statistics  as  to  the 
result  of  his  labors. 

There  is  a  tradition,  with  some  foundation  certainly,  that 
Mr.  McCallum  was  considered  by  some  unsound  in  doctrinal 
views — developed  or  brought  to  light  probably  during  the 
the  bitter  controversy  that  resulted  in  the  schism  of  1837; 
and  that  he  was  publicly  confronted  with  this  doctrinal 
unsoundness  by  Malcolm  Shaw,  of  the  Buffalo  session.  From 
trustworthy  sources  I  learn  that  this  open  rupture  was  pre- 
ceded by  some  differences  as  to  the  payment  of  salary,  and 


*  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Carolina,  p.  503. 


10 


that  the  charge  of  unsoundness  was  made  openly,  resulting 
eventually  in  Mr.  McCallum' s  retiring  from  the  pastorate. 
His  firm,  courageous  and  life-long  friend,  Eev.  Evander 
McNair,  always  maintained  that  Mr.  McCallum  was  unjustly 
assailed  and  should  have  defended  himself.  The  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved  October  11,  1838,  and  Mr.  McCallum, 
removing  to  Mississippi,  ministered  to  various  churches 
chiefly  as  supply  and  Presbyterial  missionary  until  laid  aside 
by  the  infirmities  of  age  in  1875,  and,  waiting  patiently  the 
days  of  his  appointed  time,  died  in  the  winter  of  1885-1886. 

In  1835,  Malcolm  Shaw,  William  Mcintosh  and  John  H. 
Dalrymple  were  ordained  ruling  elders.  Previous  to  this,  and 
subsequent  probably  to  1821,  William  Shaw  was  made  an 
elder,  though  the  date  or  the  fact  of  his  ordination  is  not 
recorded,  and  he  ceased  to  act  about  1836. 

Rev.  Samuel  Paisley  then  ministered  to  the  church  in  con- 
nection with  Union  and  Euphronia  from  1838  till  April  4th, 
1845,  when  the  relation  with  Buffalo  was  dissolved.  He  con- 
tinued as  pastor  of  Union  until  October,  1848,  when  perhaps 
the  relation  with  Euphronia  also  ceased.  More  attention 
seemed  to  be  given  to  the  benevolent  operations  of  the  church 
during  his  pastoral  care  than  before.  Mr.  Paisley  himself 
was  constituted  by  the  contribution  of  Buffalo  Church  a  life 
member  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  and  generous  contri- 
butions were  made  to  other  important  interests.  Mr.  Paisley 
was  a  man  of  amiable  and  benevolent  disposition,  of  tender 
feeling  and  conservative  mood.  He  spent  his  declining  years 
in  Euphronia  congregation,  growing  deaf  as  he  grew  old,  and 
died  at  a  very  advanced  age  and  was  buried  at  Eno  Church. 
His  daughter,  Mrs.  Cynthia  Campbell,  widow  of  the  late 
William  C.  Campbell,  an  elder  in  Euphronia  Church,  a  most 
godly  and  useful  woman,  is  still  affectionately  remembered. 

From  the  close  of  Mr.  McMillan7 s  pastorate  in  1830  to  the 
beginning  of  Mr.  McKay's  ministry  in  1846,  but  fifteen  are 
reported  as  added  to  the  communion  of  the  church  in  the 
church  records.  That  these  are  incorrect  or  were  not  care- 
fully kept  is  manifest,  as  for  some  years  there  is  no  record 
whatever. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  session,  September  1st,  1838,  Wil- 


1 1 


Ham  Dairy mple  is  reported  as  present  as  an  elder,  the  first 
mention  of  his  name  in  this  capacity,  though  the  date  of  his 
ordination  is  not  given.  Richard  M.  Cole  and  Malcolm 
Mclver  were  ordained  elders  in  the  summer  of  1841,  though 
no  official  record  is  made  of  the  fact. 

In  the  summer  of  1846,  Rev.  Neill  McKay  is  mentioned  as 
moderator  of  the  session.  For  some  reason  the  ministra- 
tions of  Rev.  Samuel  Paisley  were  not  acceptable  to  some  of 
the  more  influential  and  popular  members  of  the  church, 
Sheriff  Duncan  Murchison  among  them.  Indeed,  in  the 
records  of  session,  July  23rd,  1843,  presided  over  at  the 
request  of  Mr.  Paisley  and  the  session  by  Rev.  Evander 
McNair,  I  find  it  stated  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Murchison  were 
granted  letters  to  unite  with  Mt.  Pisgah  Church,  he  alleging 
that  the  ministrations  of  the  incumbent  were  "not  edifying 
to  his  soul."  Perhaps  invited  by  some  one,  or  directed  by 
Presbytery,  Mr.  McKay  visited  Buffalo  Church  during  Mr. 
Paisley's  pastorate,  and  losing  his  way  and  arriving  late,  Mr. 
Paisley  had  already  begun  the  services.  Mr.  McKay  walked 
in  and  came  near  the  pulpit,  but  not  being  recognized  by 
Mr.  Paisley  (it  is  supposed  by  some,  purposely)  he  took  his 
seat  in  the  congregation.  Mr.  Paisley  concluded  the  services, 
and  started  down  the  steps  of  the  pulpit.  An  elder  present 
announced  that  Rev.  Mr.  McKay  was  in  the  house,  and  pro- 
posed that  the  congregation  should  keep  their  seats  and  hear 
a  sermon  from  him.  He  ascended  the  pulpit,  Mr.  Paisley 
with  him,  and  the  congregation  heard  a  second  sermon  with- 
out recess  or  intermission.  Mr.  McKay's  text  on  the  occa- 
sion, for  text  and  sermon  and  occasion  were  long  remem- 
bered, was  John  3:14-15:  "And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  ser- 
pent in  the  wilderness,"  &c.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Paisley  retired, 
the  pastoral  relation  with  the  church  being  dissolved,  and 
Mr.  McKay  began  to  preach  regularly.  This  incident  helps 
to  fasten  the  date  of  the  erection  of  the  second  framed  build- 
ing on  this  site.  For  the  incident  related  occurred  in  the  old 
building,  and  in  1845  when  Mr.  McKay  took  charge  the  then 
new  building  had  been  constructed.  Some  time,  then, 
between  1841  and  1845  the  second  framed  building  was 
erected.     Mr.  Roderick  N.  Buie  was  the  contractor,  and 


12 


some  of  the  timbers  of  the  old  building  were  used  in  the  new. 

Mr.,  or  as  we  shall  call  him,  Dr.  McKay's  ministry  began 
in  L845,  and  he  preached  as  stated  supply  till  1856,  when  he 
was  installed  pastor  September  27th,  1856,  resigning  his  pas- 
toral charge  January  5th,  1870.  He  would  sometimes  be 
called  away  by  important  business  interests  in  the  West,  his 
absences  being  supplied  at  one  time  for  four  months  by  Eev. 
John  L.  Mclver,  at  another  time  for  a  year  by  Eev.  G.  A. 
Russell,  and  again  for  a  year  by  Eev.  C.  K.  Caldwell. 

Dr.  McKay  was  a  man  of  superior  mental  endowments,  a 
clear,  forcible  and  logical  preacher, — often  strong  and 
impressive.  His  sermons  were  usually  written  and  read,  but 
read  with  sonorous  and  somewhat  monotonous  voice.  At  the 
close  of  an  argument  his  manner  would  become  more  solemn 
and  earnest,  his  gestures  more  animated  and  impressive  and 
he  would  speak  with  power.  He  was  a  man  of  affairs,  pos- 
sessed of  large  means,  and  interested  in  all  questions  of  public 
policy  and  welfare.  He  was  an  intelligent  and  devoted 
friend  of  education,  secular  and  religious, — for  many  years 
an  honored  and  useful  trustee  of  the  University  of  North  Car- 
olina and  of  the  Union  Theological  Seminary,  and  was  also 
for  many  years  chairman  of  the  Presbyterial  and  Sy nodical 
committees  of  ministerial  education.  He  was  an  able  debater 
in  church  courts,  an  accomplished  ecclesiastic,  an  expert 
polemic,  and  exerted  a  wide  and  potent  influence.  The  force 
of  his  oratory  was  in  the  logical  and  vehement  presentation 
of  his  views,  for  he  disdained  the  adventitious  aids  of  rhetoric, 
illustration  or  poetry. 

He  was  a  faithful  and  instructive  preacher,  proclaiming  the 
whole  round  of  gospel  truth.  His  ministry  was  much  blessed, 
for  though  not  himself  what  is  termed  a  revivalist,  and 
indeed  condemning  what  may  be  termed  revival  measures, 
the  ingatherings  of  his  stated  ministry  indicated  a  vigorous 
growth.  These  considerable  accessions  to  the  membership 
were  in  part  due  to  the  faithful  and  fervent  labors  of  those 
who  at  times  supplied  his  pulpit.  Two  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  were  added  to  the  communicants'  roll — an  average  of 
nearly  twenty  a  year.    On  many  communion  occasions  as 


L3 


many  as  ten  would  be  received  in  the  ordinary  course  of  pas- 
toral work, — at  one  time  twenty-four  and  at  another  thirty- 
one. 

During  these  eventful  and  fruitful  years,  distracted  by  the 
horrors  of  war  and  of  reconstruction,  the  cords  were  length- 
ened and  the  stakes  were  strengthened.  October  7th,  1854, 
Evander  McGilvary  and  Koderick  N.  Buie  were  ordained 
elders.  The  church  was  perfected  in  its  organization  during 
this  decade  by  the  choice  of  deacons,  and  in  March,  1858, 
Newton  E.  Bryan,  Wesley  W.  Dye,  Alexander  McBryde, 
Daniel  Mclntyre,  Kenneth  F.  Mcintosh  and  Alexander  M. 
Wicker  were  ordained  to  this  office.  In  March,  1863,  the 
following  were  added  to  the  eldership  :  Daniel  M.  Mcintosh, 
Daniel  Mclntyre,  Wesley  W.  Dye,  Donald  J.  Mclver,  John 
Dairy mple  and  John  Hunter.  And  about  the  same  date, 
Wesley  Mclver  and  Daniel  B.  Mclver  were  constituted 
deacons.  These  additions  to  the  official  membership  of  Buf- 
falo Church  during  Dr.  McKay's  ministry  present  names 
familiar  and  precious,  that  will  long  be  held  in  grateful 
remembrance. 

On  the  13th  of  December,  1864,  the  church  of  Saint 
Andrews  was  organized,  to  which  Buffalo  gave  certainly 
fifteen  of  its  members  in  its  organization  and  probably  more. 
In  May,  1868,  Salem  Church  was  organized,  to  which  Buffalo 
gave  nineteen  as  charter  members.  This,  though  a  reduction 
of  the  area  and  membership  of  Buffalo,  was  a  real  extension 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

In  1870,  Rev.  Martin  McQueen,  pastor  of  the  contiguous 
churches  of  Union  and  Carthage,  being  invited,  took  charge 
of  Buffalo  Church  as  stated  supply,  preaching  once  a  month, 
and  continued  to  act  in  this  relation  until  the  close  of  1872, 
giving  nearly  three  years  of  fruitful  and  abundant  labor. 

Mr.  McQueen  was  a  man  of  strong  convictions,  an  ardent 
and  impressive  preacher,  and  he  was  signally  blessed  in  his 
work.  During  the  brief  time  that  he  ministered  at  Buffalo, 
sixty -seven  were  added  to  the  list  of  communicants,  and  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1872  a  gracious  revival  resulted  in  an 
accession  at  one  time  of  thirty-seven,  the  largest  number  that 
had  up  to  this  time,  or  has  ever  at  any  one  time,  united  with 


14 

the  church.  Mr.  McQueen's  influence  in  this  congregation, 
in  his  own  charge,  and  in  ecclesiastical  judicatories,  was 
marked,  conservative  and  wholesome — and  he  was  greatly 
sought  in  protracted  meetings,  when  his  preaching,  always 
direct  and  earnest,  would  be  unusually  warm  and  effective. 

In  June,  1873,  Buffalo  and  Euphronia  congregations  were 
again,  after  a  separation  of  twenty-eight  years,  united  in  one 
pastoral  charge,  and  Rev.  Wm.  S.  Lacy  was  invited  to  min- 
ister to  the  church  and  in  May,  1874,  he  was  installed  pastor, 
the  relation  being  dissolved  in  May,  1888.  During  this  pas- 
torate the  effort  was  made  to  extend  the  influence  of  Presby- 
terianism  by  preaching  at  remoter  points,  and  reaching  those 
whose  distance  from  the  church  or  whose  propinquity  to 
other  places  of  worship  hindered  their  regular  attendance  on 
their  own  sanctuary.  Thus  it  was  that  as  outposts  of  Buffalo 
and  Euphronia,  afternoon  or  evening  services  on  Sunday  and 
prayer-meetings  during  the  week  were  held  with  more  or 
less  frequency  and  regularity  at  Gulf,  Carbonton,  Cedar  Hill, 
Cedar  Spring,  the  Chalmers  place,  Burns'  School  House, 
White  Hill  (or  Cross  Koads  as  it  was  then  called),  Pocket, 
Egypt,  MeXeill's  School  House,  Jonesboro,  Oldham's  Grove 
and  Sanford.  The  effort  was  made  to  strengthen  the  cause  at 
the  mother  church  by  earnest  Sunday  school  work  and  by 
frequent  special  meetings. 

In  July,  1881,  the  church  of  AYhite  Hill  was  organized, 
largely  out  of  Buffalo  and  Euphronia  Churches.  Buffalo 
contributed  sixteen  communicants  as  charter  members,  with 
a  large  number  of  non-communicants,  and  dismissing  many 
since.  In  January,  1882,  the  church  of  Gulf  was  organized 
with  thirteen  members  by  Orange  Presbytery,  the  point 
though  contiguous  to  this  pastoral  charge  being  in  the  bounds 
of  that  Presbytery  at  that  time.  Of  the  thirteen  members, 
three  were  from  this  church  and  five  from  Euphronia. 
The  church  at  Jonesboro  was  organized  in  December,  1885, 
to  which  this  church  gave  thirty-three  members  in  its  organ- 
ization as  communicants  and  twenty-four  non-communicants. 

During  this  pastorate,  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  were 
added  to  the  list  of  communicants  in  Buffalo.  The  following 
additions  were  made  to  its  official  force :    On  the  11th  of 


15 


April,  1875,  M.  H.  Mclver,  Dr.  John  Mclver,  J.  M.  Dye, 
John  C.  Ferguson,  Green  B.  Cole  and  Henry  J.  Dennis  were 
inducted  into  office  as  elders.  On  the  26th  of  March,  1876, 
Capt.  Jesse  J.  Wicker,  J.  A.  McBryde,  Capt.  A.  A.  Mclver 
and  D.  G.  Mcintosh  were  ordained  deacons.  On  the  28th  oi 
March,  1880,  Redin  Bryan  and  George  Cole  were  ordained 
deacons. 

The  events  that  most  signalized  this  pastorate  were  the 
erection  of  this  comely  and  commodious  edifice  for  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  the  fourth  church  building  on  this  site;  and  the 
handsome  chapel  at  Jonesboro.  There  was  need  for  both 
buildings.  With  great  unanimity  and  sacrifice  this  congre- 
gation determined  to  arise  and  build,  t^ie  first  action  being- 
taken  at  a  congregational  meeting  held  February  2nd,  1878. 
Mr.  John  B.  Masemore  was  the  contractor  and  builder. 
After  self-denials  and  labors  the  house  was  completed.  The 
dedicatory  exercises  took  place  May  16th,  1880,  a  vast  and 
delighted  multitude  attending,  and  the  dedication  sermon 
was  preached  to  the  great  enjoyment  of  all  by  the  Rev. 
Evander  McETair,  D.  D.  The  chapel  at  Jonesboro,  as  at  first 
it  was  called,  was  erected  in  1885,  and  was  the  fruit  of  much 
toil  and  consecrated  effort  and  sacrifice. 

Following  this  pastorate,  of  which  perhaps  it  did  not 
become  me  to  speak,  there  was  an  interval  of  more  than  a 
year,  when  Rev.  W.  S.  Friend,  having  been  called  June  16th, 
1889,  was  installed  as  pastor,  date  not  recorded,  and  con- 
tinued as  such  but  a  few  months.  Licentiate  D.  X.  McLaueh 
liu  was  called  March  28th,  1891.  In  the  meanwhile  visiting 
ministers  had  held  services,  and  specially  Rev.  Dr.  Mack  and 
Rev.  A.  R.  Shaw,  Presbyterial  Evangelist;  and  from  the  close 
of  Mr.  Lacy's  pastorate  in  May,  1888,  until  the  first  meeting 
of  session  presided  over  by  Mr.  McLauchlin  as  pastor  and 
moderator  of  session  September  20th,  1891,  forty  persons  had 
been  added  to  the  membership  of  the  church.  While  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor,  Mr.  D.  N.  McLauchlin,  then  a 
candidate  for  the  ministry  teaching  in  the  bounds  of  the  con- 
gregation for  a  part  of  the  time,  labored  most  acceptably. 
During  Mr.  Friend's  pastorate,  Thomas  C.  Campbell  and 
Henry  C.  Dennis  were  chosen  deacons  Kovember  10th,  1889. 


L6 


On  December  14th,  1S90,  Duncan  E.  Mclver  and  James  L. 
.McNeill  were  elected  deacons.  Eev.  D.  "N.  McLauchlin 
accepted  a  call  to  Chester,  S.  0.,  in  the  fall  of  1892. 

In  April,  1890,  while  Buffalo  was  without  a  pastor,  fifty- 
two  were  dismissed  to  constitute  part  of  a  new  organization 
;it  Pocket. 

During  Mr.  McLauchlin' s  pastorate,  ten  were  added  to  the 
church. 

Another  vacancy  occurred  from  September,  1892,  until 
April,  1894,  w  hen  the  present  pastor  was  called  and  entered 
on  the  duties  of  the  office  soon  thereafter.  During  this 
vacancy,  in  March,  1894,  fourteen  from  this  church  were  dis- 
missed to  take  part  in  forming  the  church  in  Sanford.  Nor 
were  there  any  accessions  to  Buffalo  during  this  interregnum, 
until  Mr.  McNeill  took  charge. 

July  29th,  1894,  John  D.  Mclver  and  James  E.  Gilmour 
were  chosen  elders,  and  James  H.  Wicker  and  Archibald  B. 
Cole  deacons. 

Up  to  the  spring  meeting  of  Presbytery,  1897,  the  last 
annual  report  of  Buffalo  Church,  thirty-two  have  been 
received  into  the  membership  of  this  church  under  the  pres- 
ent pastor. 

As  the  number  of  members  with  which  Buffalo  Church  was 
organized  is  unknown,  and  as  there  is  no  record  of  how 
many  were  added  during  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Wm.  D.  Pais- 
ley, and  as  the  record  of  other  years  is  manifestly  incomplete, 
specially  during  the  pastorates  of  Rev.  Angus  McCallum  and 
Rev.  Samuel  Paisley,  it  is  impossible  to  give  an  accurate 
resume  of  how  many  have  ever  been  connected  with  Buffalo 
Church — but  doubtless  many  more  than  one  thousand.  Many 
have  gone  forth  from  these  groves  to  the  West  and  far  South 
who  look  back  with  filial  love  to  old  Buffalo,  and  many  a 
child  born  elsewhere  has  heard  from  trembling  sire  or 
grandame  stories  of  these  camp  grounds  and  the  solemn 
meetings  of  other  days.  In  Tennessee,  Georgia,  Arkansas 
and  Texas  are  many  churches  the  nuclei  of  w  hich  wrere  fami- 
lies that  removed  from  Buffalo. 

For  the  completion  of  this  story  it  was  needful  that  these 
details,   necessarily  tedious  and  jejune,  should  be  given. 


1  7 


Only  a  Homer  can  make  a  list  of  names  interesting,  even 
though  they  be  the  names  of  heroes!  But  these  bare  lads 
give  only  a  most  meagre  and  inadequate  account  of  the  use- 
fulness and  honored  career  of  lliis  venerable  church. 

An  hundred  years  of  vigorous  life — a  century  of  growth, 
self-denial,  generous  surrender  of  self  for  the  good  of  others, — 
this  is  what  we  commemorate  to-day  !  Dear  old  church,  and 
mother  of  churches,— once  embracing  in  its  wide  scope  of 
territory,  from  the  waters  of  Deep  river  and  beyond  on  the 
north  and  west,  to  the  waters  of  Lower  Little  river  and  Bar- 
becue and  Cape  Fear  on  the  east  and  south — an  ample  and 
lordly  domain — whence  people  came  not  two  or  four  or  even 
six  miles  to  church,  but  ten,  fifteen  and  twenty ;  when 
planters  like  the  McBrydes,  McQueens,  McKays  and  Murchi- 
sons  from  broad  estates  on  the  rivers,  and  humbler  occupants 
of  limited  farmsteads  on  smaller  tributary  streams,  came  to 
one  great  religious  centre,  with  abundant  leisure  and  do  less 
abundant  devotion,  to  worship  God !  I  have  heard  the  old 
peojde  tell  how  in  that  elder  day,  on  Friday  afternoon  or 
Saturday,  groups  of  sturdy  men  and  happy  women  would 
walk  from  remote  homes  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  church — 
tarrying  with  friends  over  night  if  need  be,  for  Scotch  j)eople 
are  all  kin  and  clannish,  and  everybody  kept  open  house  in 
the  good  old  times.  They  would  walk  for  miles,  occasionally 
stopping  as  a  dwelling  would  be  passed,  hailing,  and  having 
one,  two  or  half  a  dozen  added  to  the  joyous  company, 
sometimes  singing  the  songs  of  Zion,  as  reverently  and 
devoutly  they  journeyed  along  in  straggling  fashion  to  old 
Buffalo.  I  have  thought  that  thus  it  was  in  the  palmy  days 
of  Israel  and  David,  when  the  people  with  glad  acclaim  sang  : 
"I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me,  Let  us  go  into  the 
house  of  the  Lord.  Our  feet  shall  stand  within  thy  gates,  O 
Jerusalem.  Jersualem  is  builded  as  a  city  that  is  compact 
together:  whither  the  tribes  go  up,  the  tribes  of  the  Lord, 
unto  the  testimony  of  Israel,  to  give  thauks  unto  the  name 
of  the  Lord."*  I  have  been  told  that  at  the  rippling  streams 
that  flowT  hard  by — and  on  every  road  that  leads  to  this 


*  Psalm  oxxii:  1-4. 


18 


place  there  is  such  a  stream — the  weary  and  perhaps  footsore 
travellers  would  stop  and  bathe  their  feet  and  take  away  the 
dust  and  soil  of  the  journey,  and  with  clean  shoes  and  stock- 
ings would  ascend  the  gentle  acclivity  on  which  the  church 
stands.  I  have  been  shown  the  very  logs  under  which  they 
would  hide  their  heavier  and  coarser  walking  shoes. 

They  were  simple-minded  folk, — but  sincere  and  godly 
worshippers,  the  very  bone  and  strength  of  a  people, — the 
glory  of  a  nation. 

To-day  the  tribes  have  come  up — to  the  testimony  of  Israel, 
to  give  thanks  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord.  The  old  mother, 
as  loving  mothers  will  do,  has  stripped  herself  to  set  up  her 
daughters  in  housekeeping  ;  and  now  that  the  daughters  have 
come  to  the  old  homestead  with  their  large  and  growing 
households,  there  is  general  gladness  and  gracious  joy.  It  is 
not  the  old  log  house  that  once  stood  here.  Nor  is  it  yet  the 
plain,  brown,  sunburned,  grace-hallowed,  spirit-filled,  old 
building  which  some  of  us  remember.  There  was  need  of  a 
fresher  and  stronger  home  for  the  dame  of  eighty  or  ninety 
years.  But  she  is  the  same  loving  mother  still.  Time  has 
removed  some  of  the  grand  old  trees  of  this  venerable  grove, 
as  he  has  taken  away  many  a  stalwart  spiritual  trunk  and 
pillar  in  the  house  of  our  God.  But  still  there  are  shoots  of 
the  old  stock.  Still  there  is  ample  space  in  the  old  yard. 
The  spring  bubbles  under  the  hill.  Yonder  sleep  many  who 
moved  in  and  out  among  you — their  locks  of  silver  or  of  gold 
covered  with  earth's  dewy  mould.  Hallowed  spot  is  this! 
the  birthplace  of  many  a  soul,  where  God  Himself  "comes 
down  to  greet"  His  waiting  saints!  What  precious  and 
sacred  associations  shall  ever  be  connected  with  this  place  ! 

In  thinking  of  the  elements  that  contributed  to  the  influ- 
ence of  this  church  in  other  days  which  it  becomes  me  to  men- 
tion to-day,  and  which  will  continue  in  like  power  if  cher- 
ished as  of  old,  I  name  first  the  simple  lives,  the  unquestion- 
ing faith,  the  intelligent  piety,  the  devout  habits  that  char- 
acterized the  people.  Frugal  in  taste,  they  were  content 
with  cheir  lot,  nor  aspired  to  be  rated  on  'Change  or  to  be 
numbered  among  the  great  and  fashionable.  They  lived 
within  their  means,  got  up  soon,  toiled  hard  for  their  liveli- 


I!) 

hood  and  went  to  bed  early.  They  believed  in  God  in  a 
God  who  had  a  will  of  His  own,  and  who  could  execute  Bis 
purpose.  They  accepted  His  word  because  it  was  His  word, 
and  not  for  what  scholarship  or  the  spade  had  discovered. 
Ignorant  alike  of  Aristotle  or  Hegel,  of  the  papyri  or  the 
catacombs,  they  were  not  ignorant  of  Isaiah  and  John,  of 
Moses  and  Paul,  "of  David  also  and  of  Samuel  and  of  the 
prophets",  and  of  Him  of  whom  they  spoke.  On  their  tables, 
besides  The  Book,  as  they  devoutly  called  God's  Word,  and 
the  Confession  of  Faith,  were  seen  such  books  as  Boston's 
Fourfold  State,  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress,  Baxter's  Call 
to  the  Unconverted,  Doddridge's  Eise  and  Progress,  and 
Baxter's  Saints  Eest — books  with  solid  reading  rather  than 
ten-cent  magazines  full  of  pictures  of  half-dressed  women. 
Their  devoutness  was  marked.  Their  reverence  in  the  sanct- 
uary, their  regard  for  the  Sabbath,  their  grave  attention  to 
the  Word,  their  respect  for  the  ministry  and  for  all  sacred 
things  illustrated  the  same  trait.  They  generally  were  accus- 
tomed to  hold  family  worship. 

"And  kneeling  down  to  Heaven's  Eternal  King, 
The  saint,  the  father  and  the  husband  prayed." 

I  heard  from  my  father  that  the  Honorable  M.  Q.  Waddell 
once  told  him  that  he  was  called  upon  once — he  never 
explained  why — to  ride  through  the  whole  congregation  from 
its  outermost  border  on  Deep  river,  contiguous  to  Union 
Church,  towards  Harnett  or  Johnston  counties,  on  Sunday. 
He  had  probably  been  to  the  Alston  House.  Nowhere  did  he 
hear  one  stroke  of  axe  or  sound  of  toil  or  movement  of  wagon. 
There  was  no  preaching  that  day  as  he  passed  the  old  church. 
But  every  home  was  still.  "Not  even  a  dog  barked,  it  seemed 
to  me,"  he  said,  "and  the  Sabbath  stillness  was  profound 
and  impressive."  Yes,  Mr.  Waddell,  and  it  was  significant, 
too  !    These  were  Scotch  people  and  Presbyterians  ! 

Another  factor  in  the  influence  and  testimony  of  Buffalo 
has  been  the  ability  and  learning  of  its  ministry.  There  have 
been  intervals  of  vacancy,  but  in  the  century  five  years  will 
cover  the  whole  time  the  church  was  without  stated  minis- 
trations. Of  the  hundred  years  of  its  life,  the  services  of  two 
covered  more  than  half  the  time — Mr.  McMillan  for  twenty- 


20 


six  years  and  Dr.  McKay  for  nearly  twenty-five.  These 
were  two  great  men.  They  taught  and  educated  the  people 
from  the  pulpit  for  more  than  half  a  century.  Instructive, 
sound,  solemn,  they  impressed  upon  the  congregation  the 
reality  of  religion — that  it  was  a  matter  of  life,  not  emotion — 
that  conduct  must  be  based  upon  creed — and  thus  they 
trained  the  whole  country  to  think  seriously  and  profoundly, 
and  inculcated  devoutness  in  worship. 

But  besides  these,  other  pastors  here  have  done  faithful 
work  (I  speak  not  of  the  living,  but  of  the  dead)  and  have 
helped  to  mould  the  community.  And  then  others,  who 
have  gained  the  ear  and  the  heart  of  the  church,  whose  names 
we  cannot  willingly  let  die,  have  at  times  and  some  of  them 
often  preached  in  our  groves  and  sanctuaries.  Here  have  been 
spoken  the  words  of  this  life  in  the  olden  time  by  such  men 
as  Thomas  P.  Hunt,  Dr.  William  Henry  Foote,  and  doubtless 
the  honored  fathers  of  Orange  Presbytery  in  the  days  of  the 
elder  Paisley,  such  as  Patillo  and  Caldwell ;  and  in  later 
years  by  such  men  as  the  eloquent  and  courtly  Dr.  McNair, 
the  brothers  McNeill  of  Fayetteville,  Dr.  Drury  Lacy,  the 
Atkinsons,  the  strong  and  earnest  Dr.  J.  Henry  Smith  and 
his  brilliant  and  able  son,  Dr.  Samuel  M.  Smith,  the  scholarly 
Dr.  Watkins,  the  modest  and  learned  Dr.  Burwell,  the  pro- 
found and  accomplished  Dr.  Yaughan,  Dr.  J.  B.  Mack, 
besides  others  in  Fayetteville  Presbytery,  well  known  and 
honored.  And  these  were  and  are  among  the  strongest,  most 
effective  preachers  in  our  church.  It  is  both  an  education 
and  an  inspiration  to  have  seen  and  known  and  heard  such 
men. 

Among  the  influences  that  have  tended  to  elevate  Buffalo 
and  extend  its  power  are  the  schools  that  have  been  taught 
within  its  bounds.  In  different  communities  at  different 
times  there  have  been  maintained  neighborhood  schools  of 
more  or  less  merit,  at  which  the  young  people  have  gained 
some  of  the  advantages  of  education.  Among  the  earliest 
and  foremost  of  these  was  the  Old  Academy,  taught  so  many 
years  and  so  successfully  by  that  man  of  abundant  labors, 
Eev.  Murdock  McMillan.  He  lived,  while  pastor,  in  the 
bounds  of  the  congregation,  near  Deep  river,  not  very  far 


21 


from  what  is  now  Euphronia  Church,  and  taught  at  a  school 
house  about  a  mile  or  two  from  his  residence  and  not  far 
from  Dawson's  Landing — the  old  site  still  remembered  as 
"the  old  Academy" — a  school  for  both  sexes — and  inan\  a 
youth  drank  here  of  the  Pierian  spring.  My  impression  is 
that  Mr.  McMillan,  as  did  his  predecessor,  Mr.  Paisley, 
received  his  classical  and  theological  education  at  the  hands 
of  that  distinguished  educator,  able  minister  and  incorrupti- 
ble patriot,  Dr.  David  Caldwell.  Mr.  McCallum,  Mr.  McMil- 
lan's successor,  lived  in  the  same  place,  and  though  he  did 
uot  teach,  his  wife,  who  was  a  lovely  and  accomplished  lady, 
taught  a  school  for  girls  at  which  many  of  those  who  have 
been  most  influential  in  social,  religious  and  intellectual  life 
in  this  community  received  their  mental  culture.  At  this 
school  house  preaching  was  held,  and  this  was  the  begin- 
ning of  Euphronia  Church.  It  is  said  that  the  Methodists 
also  used  this  school  house  by  cousent  as  a  place  of  worship, 
but  so  thoroughly  had  these  souud  and  able  ministers  indoc- 
trinated their  flock  that  the  Methodists  gained  no  following. 

Later,  the  school  of  Mr.  Daniel  Mclntyre  at  Rock  Spring 
Academy  (nowT  known  as  Pocket  Academy)  and  at  Buffalo 
proved  a  great  convenience  and  advantage  to  the  youth  of 
that  day.  Mr.  Mclntyre  was  then  fresh  from  the  school  and 
training  of  the  far-famed  Bingham  School  under  the  elder 
Bingham,  and  for  some  time  was  a  popular  teacher.  He  was 
aided  most  efficiently  by  his  cultivated  wife,  a  daughter  of 
Geueral  A.  D.  McLean,  of  Harnett,  herself  a  pupil  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Hoge,  of  Richmond,  Virginia,  and  a  lady  of  culture  both 
of  mind  and  manners. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  seventies.  Mr.  John  E.  Kelly 
began  his  honorable  and  successful  career  as  a  teacher  by 
teaching  a  private  school  in  the  bounds  of  this  congregation 
and  taught  most  ably  and  acceptably,  giving  academic  train- 
ing to  some  of  the  young  men  and  boys  of  that  day.  Mr. 
Kelly  was  himself  much  inspiied  by  such  eminent  educators 
as  Colonel  William  J.  Martin  and  others.  He  proved  to  be  a 
capable,  progressive  and  enthusiastic  teacher,  and  had  the 
rare  and  happy  faculty  not  only  of  imparting  instruction, 
but  of  evoking  the  possibilities  of  the  pupil  and  inspiring 


L>L> 


him  with  the  ambition  and  desire  to  know  and  with  the  con- 
sciousness of  his  ability  to  learn.  He  was  fortunate  in  having 
good  material  in  his  school  that  did  his  workmanship  credit. 
The  excellence  of  his  work  at  that  day  and  since  at  his  school 
at  Union  Church,  and  the  eminence  of  his  deserved  success, 
are  attested  by  the  numbers  of  worthy  men  and  women  who 
have  attained  wide  usefulness  in  every  walk  of  life  who  were 
his  pupils.  To  call  their  names  is  to  mention  manjf  honored 
in  the  State  and  in  the  Church,  and  whose  influence  is  still 
spreading. 

These  elements  of  Buffalo's  greatness  and  power,  to  wit, 
godly  living,  able  pulpit  service  and  good  teaching,  as  in  the 
past  they  have  done,  will  if  still  continued,  secure  her  name 
for  all  time.  Let  these  be  sought  still,  if  you  would  transmit 
the  glory  of  the  past  and  perpetuate  it  in  the  future. 

It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  from  her  walls  have 
gone  forth  so  many  in  the  various  honored  callings  of  life, 
who,  in  winning  fame  for  themselves,  have  added  lustre  to 
their  church  and  community;— that  of  her  sons  are  numbered 
able  divines,  scholarly  teachers  and  professors,  upright  and 
incorruptible  lawyers  and  judges,  physicians  expert  and  self- 
sacrificing,  and  citizens  in  less  conspicuous  spheres  of  life,  yet 
just  as  honorable,  worthy  and  true.  Buffalo  has  given  to  the 
ministry  of  our  own  church,  Rev.  John  Harrington,  Rev. 
Alexander  Mclver,  Rev.  Peter  McNab,  Rev.  Daniel  McGil- 
vary,  D.  D.,  Rev.  John  L.  Mclver,  Rev.  Kenneth  M.  Mcln- 
tyre,  Rev.  M.  N.  Mclver,  Rev.  William  M.  McGilvary,  Rev. 
James  M.  Wicker,  Rev.  D.  M.  Mclver,  Rev.  Evander  B. 
McGilvary,  Rev.  Jesse  L.  Wicker,  Mr.  Duncan  M.  Phillips, 
who  died  in  the  course  of  his  preparation  for  the  gospel  min- 
istry, and  that  dear  boy,  John  Arnold,  so  recently  taken  to 
his  early  reward.  Besides  these,  it  has  trained  and  given 
some  ministers  to  other  denominations.  It  has  given  to  the 
noble  army  of  teachers  such  men  as  Professor  Alexander 
Mclver,  professor  for  many  years  in  Davidson  College  and  in 
the  University  of  North  Carolina,  and  at  one  time  Superin- 
tendent of  Public  Instruction  for  the  State  of  North  Carolina; 
Captain  Evander  J.  Mclver,  whose  work  in  Alabama  and 
Texas  abides  as  an  honor  to  him  ;  President  Charles  D. 


23 


Mclver,  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  for 
Women,  to  whom  the  whole  State  is  indebted  for  the  educa- 
tional emancipation  of  woman ;  and  that  brilliant  young  pro- 
fessor so  well  remembered  by  our  younger  people,  Professor 
Evander  B.  McGilvary,  of  California.  Among  men  of  legal 
prominence  are  the  late  Hugh  S.  McQueen,  Kenneth  Mclver, 
Judge  Alexander  Mclver,  of  Texas,  and  Judge  James  1). 
Mclver,  of  this  county  and  State. 

I  wish  that  I  had  the  time  and  you  the  patience  to  indulge 
in  reminiscence, — to  recall  and  relate  incidents  that  have 
endeared  the  name  of  Buffalo  to  many  to  whom  only  the  name 
is  known.  Some  time  you  must  give  to  this.  In  old,  old 
times,  they  used  to  have  camp-meetings  here,  and  log  huts 
scattered  here  and  there  were  the  tents  or  camps  in  which 
families  would  dwell,  as  it  were,  in  booths  during  the  feast  of 
tabernacles.  The  call  to  worship  would  be  a  blast  upon  a 
conch -shell.  Services  would  be  held  morning,  afternoon  and 
night,  with  tent-meetings  for  prayer  and  inquiry-meetings 
between  times.  They  were  often  seasons  of  profound  feeling. 
On  one  occasion,  as  I  have  been  told,  Eev.  Thomas  P.  Hunt, 
famous  in  later  years  as  a  temperance  reformer,  preached  a 
deeply  impressive  sermon  on  the  personality  and  power  of 
the  devil  which  so  moved  many  that  they  could  not  sleep 
that  night  for  fear  ! 

In  other  days  the  singing  school  was  an  institution,  and 
the  singing  master  was  abroad  in  the  land,  and  lads  and 
lasses  were  not  ashamed  or  unwilling  to  take  the  patient  old- 
fashioned  way  of  learning  to  "sing  by  note"  by  means  of  the 
syllables,  do,  re,  mi,  etc.  The  singing  school  itself  was  a 
social  function  of  high  order  in  that  day,  and  ruany  an  affair 
of  the  heart  was  developed  in  singing  the  same  tune  among 
those  perhaps  too  shy  to  sing  out  of  the  same  book.  Thus 
congregational  singing  was  quickened.  The  evenings  at  home 
were  spent  in  sacred  music  as  neighbor  boys  and  girls  would 
come  in  for  practice.  Memories  of  two  singing  masters, 
brothers,  by  name  Boot,  are  still  cherished.  It  is  believed, 
and  with  good  reason,  that  one  of  them  was  the  afterward 
celebrated  composer,  author  and  publisher,  George  F.  Boot. 
It  is  known  that  he  spent  two  winters — indeed,  two  years 


24 


South,  teaching  music  from  place  to  place.  The  one  who  was 
here  sang  a  rich  bass  and  led  the  music  with  his  violin,  and 
this  the  well-known  G.  F.  Root  was  accustomed  to  do  as  long 
as  lie  acted  as  a  conductor.  He  not  only  taught  music  skill- 
fully and  successfully,  but  left  as  a  legacy  an  improved  taste 
and  two  or  three  standard  tunes  of  a  high  order,  such  as 
Hamburg,  Pleyel's  Hymn  and  Italian  Hymn. 

Fifty  years  ago  the  precentor  in  this  church  was  my  dear 
old  frieud,  Dr.  John  Mclver.  Not  that  he  "raised  the  tune" 
with  his  voice,  but  he  led  the  singing  with  a  flute.  This  is 
the  first  instrument  ever  used  here  in  worship  of  God,  unless 
you  except  the  conch -shell  call !  Mr.  Root  in  his  practicings 
would  use  the  violin,  but  it  is  not  remembered  or  told  that  he 
ever  used  it  in  worship.* 

Ah,  my  brethren,  there  is  nothing  so  grand  and  inspiring 
as  the  upward  roll  of  a  great  volume  of  praise  from  a  vast 
congregation,  such  as  I  have  heard  even  in  this  house,  and  in 
its  predecessor,  the  dear  old  time-stained,  unpainted  house, 
torn  away  to  give  place  to  this.  In  older  times,  the  pre- 
centor would  stand  beneath  the  pulpit,  lead  the  music  and 
keep  the  time  in  view  of  the  whole  congregation.  Xo  droning, 
intervening,  often  interfering  instrument  would  be  used,  but 
only  God's  chosen  instrument  of  praise,  the  human  voice. 
When  a  mighty  throng  thus  join  in  singing  it  seems  to  me  we 
have  the  earthly  counterpart  of  that  scene  described  by  the 
seer  of  Patmos  :  "And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  say- 
ing, Praise  our  God  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that  fear  him. 
both  small  and  great.  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a 
great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the 
voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying,  Alleluia,  for  the  Lord 
God  Omnipotent  reigneth.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice  and 
give  honor  to  him."f 

I  remember  once  we  had  held  communion,  and  it  had  been 
a  sweet  and  solemn  time.  The  audience,  however  weary  with 
the  long  service,  gave  no  evidence  of  it,  and  were  rested  and 
refreshed  as  we  sang  the  hymn  after  the  communion, — for  we 

*  Since  delivering  the  address,  there  have  been  some  who  have  told  me  that  Mr. 
Root  did  use  the  violin  in  church  worship;  but  the  greater  number  say  that  I  have 
reported  the  fact  correctly.   So  variable  and  so  trustworthy  are  traditions !— W.  S.  L. 

t  Revelation  six:  5,  6,  7. 


25 

sung  it  standing  as  was  our  custom.  My  honored  father  was 
sitting  just  here  at  my  left  hand  and  joined  with  great  hearti- 
ness and  delight  in  the  singing.  It  was  the  hymn,  "All  Hail 
the  Power  of  Jesus'  Xanie."  Verse  after  verse  had  rolled 
upward  in  great  waves  of  sound  that  beat  like  soft  thunder  on 
the  very  shores  of  heaven.  As  we  came  to  the  last  stanza, 
my  venerable  father,  too  feeble  to  stand  during  the  whole 
hymn,  rose  to  stand  and  sing:  "O  that  with  yonder  saered 
throng,  We  at  his  feet  may  fall",  but  his  feelings,  long  pent 
up,  overcame  him.  He  sat  down,  weeping  freely,  and  wiped 
his  eyes  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands:  and  then  rising 
again  as  the  closing  lines  were  sung,  he  joined  in  the  words 
with  his  sonorous  bass,  "And  crown  him  Lord  of  all."  The 
whole  assembly  was  visibly  moved,  and  the  majestic  volume 
of  sound  that  had  seemed  so  lordly  and  inspiring  was  now 
marred  and  broken  with  sobs  and  tears, — but  I  believe  none 
the  less  grateful  to  the  ears  of  the  King,  at  whose  pierced 
feet  may  it  be  our  high  honor  to  east  our  glittering  crowns  ! 

I  have  been  told  that  in  the  days  before  the  building, 
which  many  of  you  remember,  which  preceded  the  one  in  which 
we  now  meet, — the  first  framed  building  ou  this  site,  succeed- 
ing the  log  building  in  which  the  first  minister  was  ordained 
in  1797, — that  this  building  was  far  too  small  to  hold  the  con- 
gregations that  would  meet  on  communion  days.  The  preach- 
ing services  were  therefore  held  in  the  grove  at  the  stand 
near  the  spring,  some  traces  of  which  are  still  to  be  found. 
When  the  sermon  was  concluded  and  the  time  for  the  cele- 
bration of  the  sacrament  had  come,  the  leaders  in  singing 
would  rise  and  start  side  by  side  to  the  church,  followed  by 
the  ministers,  for  on  such  occasions  there  were  always  visit- 
ing brethren,  next  the  elders,  and  then  the  body  of  communi- 
cants. The  whole  procession  marched  singing — most  likely 
to  the  weird,  solemn  strains  of  old  Windham— up  to  the 
church,  and  the  communion  service  would  be  held  inside  the 
church,  those  communicating  only  entering. 

"  How  sweet  and  awful  is  the  place, 
With  Christ  within  the  doors, 
While  everlasting  love  displays 
The  choicest  of  her  stores." 

How  impressive  such  a  gathering,  such  a  solemn  assembly. 


26 


How  sacred  a  scene  to  those  within.  How  significant  and 
impressive  such  a  separation  to  those  without ! 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Fayetteville,  held  at 
Buffalo,  in  April,  1881,  my  father,  then  living  with  me, 
attended  and  was  introduced  as  a  corresponding  member. 
The  new  custom  of  receiving  and  welcoming  by  a  standing- 
vote  was  novel  to  him,  and  when  the  Presbytery  arose  as 
he  approached  and  shook  hands  with  the  moderator,  it 
deeply  affected  him,  and  standing  on  the  platform  he  spoke  a 
few  words  expressive  of  his  love  for  the  brethren  as  one  of  the 
constantly  abiding  an<J  satisfying  evidences  that  he  had 
passed  from  death  unto  life.  Brethren  beloved  came  forward 
to  speak  to  him — the  McQueens,  one  his  pupil  at  Davidson 
College,  Alexander  whom  he  had  married— Dr.  McKay,  Dr. 
Hill  and  others.  Dr.  McNair,  that  princely  man,  had  but 
recently  returned  from  the  West  to  spend  his  closing  years  in 
his  old  Presbytery  and  among  his  kindred.  He  and  my 
father  had  been  intimate  friends,  and  associates  for  many 
years  as  trustees  of  Union  Seminary,  travelling  together 
across  the  country  in  in-ivate  conveyance.  They  had  not 
seen  each  other  for  more  than  twenty  years.  They  met  here 
at  the  steps.  " Brother  Lacy" — "Brother  McNair7'  they 
spoke  in  a  breath  of  mutual  recognition  and  embraced  each 
other  warmly,  their  good  gray  heads  bowing  close  together. 
The  sight  of  these  stately,  aged,  honored  and  venerable  men, 
so  near  life's  end,  thus  meeting  as  brothers,  wTas  very 
affecting. 

I  have  wearied  you  perchance  with  these  details  and  remi- 
niscences, yet  I  have  left  many  unsaid.  Let  me  close,  as  we 
ministers  say,  with  one  or  two  reflections. 

Children  of  Buffalo,  honor  your  Mother !  It  is  a  noble 
group  of  churches  that  has  been  nourished  at  her  breasts. 
Euphronia,  Saint  Andrews,  Salem,  White  Hill,  Gulf,  Jones- 
boro,  Pocket,  Sanford — a  goodly  array !  Buffalo  stripped 
herself  to  equip  you.  She  has  given  you  of  her  choicest  and 
her  best.  Do  not  forget  her  self-denials.  You  do  well  to  pay 
homage  now  and  then,  and  return  to  the  ancestral  home. 

Ye  who  dwell  still  beneath  this  sacred  roof  and  worship  at 
this  sanctuary,  cherish  and  foster  this  dear  old  church. 


27 


Quicken  strong  local  affections.  As  far  as  in  your  power, 
and  your  stronger  sisters  near  by  should  help  you,  keep  your 
sanctuary  ever  in  order,  beautiful  and  attractive,  your 
grounds,  so  spacious  and  undulating,  as  fair  and  charming  as 
practicable,  and  your  cemetery,  the  resting-place  of  your 
beloved,  in  perpetual  good  order.  Let  me  plead  a  moment 
for  that  dear  spot,  where  sleep  so  many  honored  and  cher 
ished  in  life,  whose  names  are  like  ointment  poured  forth, 
and  whose  memories  are  your  sacred  and  precious  legacy — 
make  it  by  loving,  filial  care  meet  resting-place  for  such  as  Buf- 
fi) lo  and  her  younger  sister  churches  train  for  glory.  The 
first  dust  laid  in  this  yard  is  that  of  Eoderick  Buie,  Jr.,  the 
twelve-year-old  son  of  our  dear  and  honored  brother  recently 
laid  to  rest.  The  lad  died  September  1st,  1857.  The  next  to 
be  buried  was  his  aged  grandmother.  And  among  the  latest 
is  the  weary  frame  of  that  saintly  woman  and  highly  useful 
servant  of  God— of  undoubting  faith,  of  unflinching  courage, 
of  unswerving  devotion  to  this  church,  one  of  the  best  and 
godliest  people  that  ever  I  knew — Mrs.  Catherine  Bryan. 
Take  care  of  your  church.  Take  care  of  your  beautiful  grounds. 
Take  care  of  your  hallowed  dust.  You  can  never  hope  for 
the  wide  and  commanding  influence  you  once  wielded  when 
your  domain  swept  with  a  radius  of  twenty  miles  from  this 
centre,  and  shorn  of  your  members  on  every  side.  But  with 
the  three  elements  of  staunch  success  which  I  have  mentioned 
as  your  glorious  heritage  in  the  past,  you  Avill  maintain  your 
name  and  place  with  honor.  Intelligent  piety,  godly  living, 
fruitful  scriptural  preaching  and  honest,  capable  teaching  for 
your  children,  these  will  secure  and  assure  the  noblest 
success. 

One  strong,  sweet,  solemn  lesson  this  memorable  centen- 
nial celebration  teaches.  Our  God  is  a  covenant-keeping 
God.  Instead  of  the  fathers  shall  be  the  children.  See  how 
true  God  is  to  His  pledge,  shewing  mercy  unto  thousands  of 
them  that  love  Him  and  keep  his  commandments.  Name 
after  name  recurs  to  teach  this  precious  lesson.  The  roll-call 
of  the  eldership  is  inspiring.  Not  less  so  would  be  the  tracing 
of  private  membership.  From  the  beginning  there  has  been 
a  Mclver  in  the  session,  and  often  two,  excepting  for  a  season 


28 

after  the  death  of  that  man  of  strong  character  and  wide 
influence,  familiarly  known  as  Scotch  Eva  Mclver.  Of  his 
sons,  two  have  been  elders,  Duncan  J.  and  Matthew  Henry, 
and  he  himself  was  son-in-law  of  Miller  Duncan  Mclver, 
while  now  a  son-in-law  is  still  an  elder  in  this  church  and  a 
grandson  in  Jonesboro  Church.  From  the  beginning  there 
has  always  been  a  Dalrymple,  until  the  death  of  John  H. 
Dalrymple,  and  the  name  is  perpetuated  in  the  eldership  in 
churches  that  have  sprung  from  Buffalo.  In  1804,  William 
Buie  becomes  an  elder.  In  1854,  his  son,  Koderick  ~N.  Buie, 
but  recently  entered  into  rest,  is  ordained  to  the  same  office, 
while  his  son,  William  J.  Buie,  until  his  early  and  lamented 
death  was  an  elder  in  Gulf  Church.  Since  1841  a  Cole  has 
always  been  in  the  session.  The  name  is  not  of  Scotch 
extraction,  but  the  alliances  of  marriage  have  introduced  the 
Scotch  blood.  Bichard  M.  Cole's  son,  Green  B.  Cole,  is  now 
the  clerk  of  the  session  of  Buffalo  Church.  Wesley  W.  Dye, 
having  obtained  a  good  degree  as  a  deacon,  is  made  an  elder. 
He  lays  aside  the  mantle  at  death,  which  is  soon  placed  by 
the  congregation  on  the  shoulders  of  his  son,  John  M.  Dye. 
Malcolm  McGilvary  is  made  elder  in  1814,  one  son  becoming 
a  minister,  and  two  grandsons — and  his  son,  Evander  McGil- 
vary, whose  recent  tragic  death  has  so  saddened  our  hearts, 
was  made  elder  in  1854  and  so  continued  until  his  transfer  to 
Pocket  Church  in  1890. 

I  need  not  say  more  to  impress  upon  us  the  rich,  impor- 
tant and  comforting  truth.  And  why  not  this  glorious 
heredity?  Is  not  the  promise  to  you  and  to  your  children, 
and  to  them  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God 
shall  call?  "Walk  about  Zion,  and  go  round  about  her;  tell 
the  towers  thereof.  Mark  ye  well  her  bulwarks,  consider  her 
palaces,  that  ye  may  tell  it  to  the  generation  following.  For 
this  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever;  He  will  be  our  guide 
even  unto  death."* 


*  Psalm  xlviii:  12,  13,  14. 


